As Masked Putrid Cyclonic  Corruption Oozes across MDAs

*Salary Padding Uncovered on Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Godwin Emefiele, Former CBN Governor

The removal of fuel subsidy and the subsequent suspension/arrest of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele is allegedly causing multiple economic effects on households as the cost of fuel and food items skyrocket.

Credible persons told our reporters from different sources that from within the last week of May to date, some sort of embargo was placed on payments of salaries through the CBN by the Federal Government, FG.

Following the restriction, only few Ministries Department and Agencies, MDAs, that paid salaries to their workers prior to the embargo by the FG are lucky to have gotten their May salaries.

“Though inter-bank transactions are going through, only those who have money in their accounts enjoy such financial transactions” a worker in on e of the MDAs in Lagos told our reporter.

We gathered that workers in several MDAs are going through severe hardship made worse by the removal of fuel subsidy by government.

We are reliably informed that service providers and contractors whose payments are due cannot also be paid because of protracted developments at the CBN.

The move by the FG we are told is part of ongoing investigations into some MDAs whose CEOs are suspected to have engaged in humongously monstrous acts of corruption that defy all logic. The size of the various alleged putrid cyclonic corruption is leaving many agape.

The sleaze in some MDAs, we learnt, has moved from billions to trillions. How this is possible is the question begging for answers under a Government that had anti corruption as its mantra.

Already and not unexpectedly so, the former CBN governor is the only government official of the outgone Government led by former President Mohammadu Buhari that has been arrested for probe and likely prosecution even as citizens are regaled daily with tales of unbelievable disregard for financial provisions by heads of some MDAs.

Grapevine sources hinted that the amounts allegedly cornered by some heads of MDAs is unimaginably impossible without connivance by officials of such unashamedly looted agencies.

According to a source who does not want his name mentioned for fear of being haunted, the revelations are such as never before seen nor heard of.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President, Federal Republic of NIgeria

“The figures are in trillions and this mountainous cyclonic looting is only possible through massive revenue leakages and diversions. It is very shocking that these corrupt CEOs looted trillions through contracts when there are Board of Directors and Management team” the source said.

The combination of revenue heist, CBN restriction on disbursements to MDAs, Service Providers and contractors are adversely affecting citizens and families all over the country.

How long the restrictions at CBN will last insiders say is unknown as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government settles down for governance on its terms and mantra of Renewed Hope as cash crush hits hard; grounding operations and service in affected MDAs.

Agencies and institutions of government funded through some MDAs are as well going through tough times as their operations and services have been crippled owing to withholding of their statutory  operational and administrative funds in outright disregard for and bazen breach of extant provisions.

IPPIS

Meanwhile, there are very strong indications that many civil servants across several MDAs including the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) have been suspended for alleged salary padding on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The allegation was confirmed by RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Bello Shehu, who said those identified have been placed on suspension pending investigation.

The affected workers were found to have manipulated the IPPIS system to pad their salaries above their threshold.

An Assistant Director at the OAGF in charge in charge of staff’ salary was alleged to have connived with some staff to pad up the salaries of unspecified number of lower level staff.

The scheme was discovered when a level 7 officer whose salary should be in the range of N60,000 was paid over N400,000, which was in the range of a salary package of a Director.

The salary padding racket had been on for a while among a small clique of civil servants in different MDAs with the IPPIS office in the OAGF as the epicentre.

Reacting to the development, the OAGF in a statement said it was, “in receipt of enquiries over alleged ‘salary padding’ on the IPPIS involving some unspecified MDAs.”

“In the meantime, a staff suspected to be connected with the breach has been suspended to allow for thorough investigation”.

“All necessary steps are being taken to strengthen the controls around the IPPIS payment platform and an independent forensic audit of the entire payroll system is underway to ascertain if the reported breach is isolated or widespread,” Shehu said.

The coming days are indicative of more unravelling of shocking findings but as Nigerians are wont to say “Na Today”?